Hoarders

While most 21-year-olds see a world of possibility in front of them, Jake wakes up every morning despondent at the state of his life–a prisoner to his hoarding and OCD. Jake compulsively hoards garbage. Snack wrappers, empty bottles, and rotting food are strewn in every room of the two bedroom town home he shares with his alcoholic father. Jake fears that if things don’t change soon he may take his own life. Shirley has always been the kind of person who could never turn away a stray cat. But eventually she lost track of just how many cats she had. When her situation caught the attention of the local authorities, they discovered that every room of her home is cluttered and cat feces and urine soak the carpets and furniture. Now Shirley must cooperate and allow authorities to remove over 75 living and dead cats from her home or face criminal prosecution for animal cruelty.

Kerrylea and her husband Geoffrey are facing imminent foreclosure on two houses. After her hoarding filled the first home she convinced her husband that the only way to solve her lifelong problem was to buy an additional home, move just what they needed, and sell the original home. But with neither home sold, Kerrylea is now forced to part with her lifetime of clutter or risk losing everything. Lauren is a 27-year-old hoarder whose relationship with her boyfriend, Will, has hit rock bottom. Her hoarding has taken over their entire town home and Will has been forced to sleep a mattress in the living room. If Lauren can’t begin to deal with her hoarding and clean up her life, her relationship will be over.

Patty and David appear to be living the American dream. But their secret hides behind the manicured yard of their new home. Patty’s hoarding has taken over the entire house and their children were removed by authorities. Now, if the family is to have any hope of ever getting their children back, Patty must overcome her compulsive shopping and hoarding and clean out her entire home. For 25 years Lorelei coped with her partner Bill’s hoarding. But last year she tripped on a pile of his things, fell down the stairs and broke her arm. Bill didn’t seem to care. His clutter has taken over their home, which is filled with junk and nearly uninhabitable. She has given Bill an ultimatum, clean up or move out.

Paul was charged with criminal littering in 2008 and has failed to meet three court ordered deadlines to clean his yard. His 2 acre property is strewn with over 70 junk cars, thousands of pounds of scrap metal, and hundreds of old appliances. In January, a judge sentenced him to 5 days in jail and gave him a few months to clean his property, or face a fine and additional jail time. Just days before the deadline Paul must make a decision; allow the tow trucks and metal collectors to descend on his property and clear out his collection, or go to jail. Missy is a hoarder with a 7 year old son, Alex, who has begun to exhibit hoarding tendencies. On several occasions when she has tried to clean, her son has cried hysterically over things like a rusty chain and an old used cotton ball. Unless she can set an example, Alex will continue to follow her behavior and may never have a shot at a normal life. Now Missy must clean up her house in order to save her son.